Laundry press



g- 24,1954 R. P. GUDGEON 2,686,983

LAUNDRY PRESS I Filed Oct. 28, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 POM/d Percy 6209600.7

A 7' TOR/VEX R. P. GUDGEON Aug. 24, 1954 LAUNDRY PRESS 3 Sheets-Sheet '2Filed Oct. 28. 1950 20/10/47 Rw gnu/gear; MW

4, 1954 R. P. GUDGEON LAUNDRY PRESS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 28. 1950730/20 M my 'aagaon flffa/eA/fy Patented Aug. 24, 1954 LAUNDRY PRESSRonald Percy Gudgeon, Luton, England, assignor to Brown & Green Limited,Luton, England, a

British company Application October 28, 1950, Serial No. 192,657

Claims.

The present invention relates to laundry presses of the type in whichtables carrying the articles to be pressed are brought in turn beneaththe presshead for the pressing operation.

An object of the invention is to provide a drive for moving the tablefrom the loaded position to the pressing position without danger to theoperator if caught by the tables during rotation.

Broadl the invention comprises a drive for moving the tables from theloading position to the pressing position beneath the press head whichdrive includes means for imparting an initial impetus to the table inthe loading position which impetus is sufficient to rotate the table toa new positionclose to the pressing position beneath the press head, andfurther means for reapplying the drive to the tables just before theyreach the new position. After the initial impetus the table is free fromany possible drive until close to the pressing position so that shouldan operator become caught by the table or any other moving part of themachine moving with the table the table will stop.

. Conveniently the means for taking up the drive again is adapted tooperate when the table is within a few degrees of its location beneaththe press head.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Figure 1 shows in side elevation and in part section a rotary pressconstructed in'accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 shows in side elevation and in part section details of thepresent invention and of the mechanism shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows in part plan part section the mechanism lying below thelevel of the pressing tables. I

Figure 4 shows in part plan part section a detail Of a portion of theapparatus illustrated in Figure 2. I

The drawings show a rotary type of press in which a pair of tables A andA are rotatably mounted about a centre column B alternately to bebrought beneath a'press head C for the pressing operation, the tablebeneath the press head being lifted in known manner by means of a mainpressure cylinder D.

The present invention contemplates the automatic operation of the tablesunder the manual control of a foot pedal E the automatic control thereofbeing by pneumatic means. The air cirsuit is controlled by thre valves;an operating or index valve F, a rotation cylinder control valve G and ashockm absorber valve H. Compressed air is admitted to the index valve Fthrough the air inlet I and exerts pressure upon a piston 2 which israised thereby into engagement with a cap 3. As the piston 2 rises itscup 4 uncovers ports 5 in the wall of the valve to allow air to the maincylinder D via pipe connection 6. Air enters the main pressure cylinderD through a port 1 and grooves 8 to lift a ram 9 to lift the table Ainto pressing relationship with the press head C.

As theram 9 rises in the cylinder D it lifts a spindle II] the upper endof which works in the control cylinder G and cuts the air supply betweenports I2 and I3 in the Control cylinder G the air being supplied throughport I2 by a pipe I I from a junction I4 connected by a pipe Ma to acompressed air supply (Figure 3) Compressed air is also led from pipjunction I4 to the shock absorber valve H through a pipe Mb andisby-passed through ports I5 and I6 in the valve cylinder and pipe Ilia toa shock absorber 17 which is held in the inoperative position by theupper end of valve piston 2 in the index valve F engaging in a recess I8in the cap 3.

A further outlet from the junction I4 leads to a cylinder I9 (Figure 2)via port 20.

Compressed air is thus permitted to enter through the port 20 and bearsagainst a shoulder 2| of a piston 3| in the cylinder I9 to maintainthepiston in the position shown.

When the foot pedal E is depressed it operates through the link 22 andbell crank lever 23 connected to the piston 2 by a pin extending througha slot in the wall of the valve F to depress the piston 2. Thecompressed air in the shock absorber I! immediately pushes forward itspiston 24 and rotates an indexing assembly 25 which turns about a pivotpin 25a to a predetermined position oil the centre line shown in Figure3 of some 20 to 30 degrees. The air supply to the main cylinder D isclosed by the piston 2 descend ing and cutting off the air supply toport 5. The main cylinder D then exhauststhrough port 5 recess 26 in thepiston 2 to exhaust port 2601. The main ram 9 is thus caused to descendfetching with it the sp ndle I0.

When the indexing assembly 25 is rotated the arms 2! and 28 whichembrace a guide pin 29 depending from the table are moved to theaforementioned predetermined position. The compressed air entering theport I2 of the valve G returns the spindle ID to its lower position andserves also to drive the ram 9 downwardly. When the spindle Ifl reaches.its lower position the port' pipe |3a to the port 30 in the cylinder IS.The area of piston 3| working in the cylinder I9 is greater than that ofthe shoulder 2| and the piston is driven forward in the direction of thearrow 3|a.

It is the forward movement of piston 3| which rotates the tables A and AThe forward end of the piston 3| carries a pin 32 to the upper end ofwhich is pivoted a link 33. The other end of the link 33 is pivoted at34 to a drive plate 35 which is freely pivoted about the column B. Thedrive plate 35 also carries a pawl 36 adapted to engage in diametricallyopposed recesses 38 in a lower drive surface 311) of a member 31 whichis fixably secured to rotate with the column B. The column B as shown inFigure 1 carries the arms supporting the tables A and A It is apparentthat when the piston 3| moves in the direction of the arrow 3|a thedrive plate is rotated about the column and the pawl, 36 engages arecess 38 in the drive surface 312) to effect rotation of the column.

Pivoted upon a fixed part of the machine at 39 is a lever 40 one end ofwhich is pivoted at 4| to a link 42 which is in turn pivoted to thedrive plate 35 as at 43 so that as the drive plate rotates the lever 40pivots about its pivot 39. The other end of the lever 4|] carries aroller 44 adapted to engage an upper drive surface 31a of the member 31.The lever 40 is so arranged that after the column has been rotated aboutone quarter of a revolution by rotation of the drive plate 35 the roller44 of the lever 4|] is brought into contact with the upper drive surface31a and prevents further pivotin of the lever about its pivot 39. Thisin turn eifectively prevents the drive plate rotating further andaccordingly the pawl ceases to drive the cam and the column B with thetables continues torotate freely. The upper drive surface 31a is formedwith a cut back portion 45 which is positioned so that when it isbrought to register with the roller 44 by rotation of the member 31, theguide pin 23 depending from the table reaches the embracing members 21and 28 and the momentum of the rotating tables carries the pin 29intothe fork between the members 21 and 28 against the pressure exertedby the shock absorber l1. Upon the cut back portion 45 registering withthe roller 44 the lever 43 is free to pivot under the action or thedrive plate 35 and themember 31 is further rotated by the roller 44ridin on the cut back portion 45 thereby imparting a final thrust to themember 31 to drive the table firmlyhorne to locate it accurately beneaththe press head. At the same time a tappet 46 carried by the link 33engages a spindle '41 in the shock absorber valve H thereby moving thepiston 53 of the valve to cut the air supply from the port Hi to theport It and to allow the air in the shock absorber H to exhaust throughport It a recessed portion 43 in the spindle 41 and exhaust port 49.With the release of pressure from the shock absorber H the indexassembly 25 is free to rotate back to a central position therebypermitting the table to be driven by the roller 44 in the abovedescribed manner for th last feW degrees of rotation to itspredetermined located position beneath the press head. When the indexassembly 25 reaches the central position the piston 2 is free to, riseand lock in the recess l8 in the indexing assembly. The rise of thepiston 2 admits air into the operating cylinder D from inlet port outletand' pipejt and the ram 9 is'once'more lifted to operate'the tablebeneath t drive means operatively connected to said first 4 the presshead. At the same time air is cut 01! from the cylinder H! by thelifting of the spindle Ill which interrupts the supply of air from theport |2 to the port l3 and the cylinder I9 is connected to exhaustthrough port 30 therein, pipe |3a and ports l3 and 5| of the valve G.The pressure exerted upon the shoulder 2| of the piston 3| by airadmitted to the cylinder l9 through port 20 returns the piston 3| to itsunoperated position.

The piston 3| in moving to its unoperated position rotates the driveplate 35 to restore the pawl 36 and the lever 40 to their initialpositions as shown in Figure 3. This leaves the press with one tableraised in the pressing position against the press head. To release thetable from the pressing position and cause automatic rotation of thetables and the raisin of the other table against the press head it isnecessary merely to press the foot bar E.

What I claim is:

l. A laundry press of the class described comprising a plurality ofpress tables supported upon a member rotatably mounted upon a fixedsupport for rotation about a vertical axis into and out of registerbeneath a fixed press head, means positioned beneath said press head andoperable upon a table reaching a position of register-beneath the presshead to raise and lower the table into and out of pressing engagementtherewith,

a first and a second drive surface on said mem-' her, and drive meanscooperating with said drive surfaces to effect rotation of said memberupon lowering of a table from. engagement with the press head, the saiddrive means comprising a first drive means adapted to engage said firstdrive surface to impart an initial impetusto the member suflicient tocarry a further table to a first position in proximity to the positionof register beneath the press head, and a second drive means to operatesequentially'therewith to engage said second drive surfaceto re-applythe drive to the member just prior to the said further table reachingthe said first position, to move the said further table into registerbeneath the press head.

2. A laundry press of the class described comprising a fixed press head,a plurality of press tables supported upon a member secured to a centercolumn rotatably mounted in a base for rotation about a vertical axiswhereby said tables are movable successively into register beneath thepress head, means effective upon positioning of a table in registerbeneath the press head to raise and lower the'table into and out ofpressing engagement with the press head, a first drive means adapted toengage a first drive surface on said column for initiating rotation ofthe column upon lowering of the table out of pressing engagement withthe press head after which initial rotation the momentum of the column,the member and the tables carried thereby is sufficient to move saidtable away from its position of register with the press head and to movea further table to a first position inproximity to the position ofregister beneath the press head,

and a second drive means operatively connected to said first drive meansto operate sequentially therewith and adapted to engage a second drivesurface on said coumn for effecting further rotation of said column justpriorto said further table reaching said first positionto move saidfurther table into register beneath "the press head.

A laundrypress oft he class described comprising a fixed press head, aplurality of press tables supported upon a rotatable center column forrotation about a vertical axis into and out of register beneath thepress head, a first and a second drive surface on said column adapted tocooperate with pneumatically operated drive means for effecting rotationof said column to move the tables successively into and out of registerbeneath the press head, pneumatically operated means positioned beneaththe press head and effective upon a table reaching the position ofregister beneath the press head, to raise the table into pressingengagement with the press head, manually operable means for effectingdisengagement and lowering of said table from the press head, the saiddrive means being effective to rotate the column upon lowering of saidtable and comprising a first drive member adapted to engage said firstdrive surface to impart an initial rotational movement to said column tomove said table away from beneath the press head and to move anothertable towards the press head, and a second drive member operativelyconnected to said first drive member to operate sequentially therewithto engage said second drive surface to impart a further rotationalmovement to the column when the said other table approaches the positionof register beneath the press head.

4. A laundry press of the class described comprising a fixed press head,a plurality of press tables supported upon a rotatable center column forrotation about a vertical axis successively into and out of registerbeneath the press head, and pneumatically operative drive meanscooperating with a first and a second drive surface on said column foreffecting rotation of said column, the said drive means comprising afirst drive means engaging said first drive surface to impart an initialrotational movement to said column, the impetus of said movement beingsufiicient to move one table away from beneath the press head and tobring a further table towards the press head into a position inproximity to the position of register beneath the press head, and a.second drive means operatively connected to said first drive means tooperate sequentially therewith to engage the said second drive surfaceto further rotate the column and bring said further table into registerbeneath the press head.

5. A laundry press of the class described comprising a fixed press head,a pair of press tables supported upon a rotatable center column forrotation about a vertical axis into and out of register beneath thepress head, pneumatically operated means positioned beneath the presshead effective upon a table reaching the position of register beneaththe press head, to raise the table into pressing engagement With thepress head, and to release and lower said table upon operation of amanual control, indexing means operable by engagement with a tablemoving into position of register beneath the press head, to index thetable beneath the press head, locking means releasable by said manualcontrol for locking said indexing means when the table is indexedbeneath the press head, and pneumatically operated drive meanscooperating with drive surfaces on said column for effecting rotationthereof, the said drive means being effective upon lowering of the tablefrom engagement with the press head and comprising a first drive meansadapted to engage a first of said drive surfaces to impart an initialrotation to said column to move said lowered table away frombeneath thevpress head and to move the other table towards the position of registerbeneath the press head, and a second drive means operatively connectedto said first drive means to operate sequentially therewith and adaptedto engage a second of said drive surfaces to impart a further rotationalmovement to the column when the said other table approaches the positionof register to cause said other table to engage the indexing means tomove the indexing means into indexing position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,940,642 Davis Dec. 19, 1933 1,997,219 Johnson Apr. 9, 19351,997,230 Otis et a1. Apr. 9, 1935 2,242,513 Dewey May 20, 19 12,280,288 Forse Apr. 211, 1942

